Thousands stung by jellyfish in Australia

07/01/2019

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Bluebottle jellyfish stings can be painful Vast numbers of bluebottle jellyfish have swarmed beaches in Queensland, Australia, stinging thousands of people and forcing the closure of swim spots.Surf Life Saving Queensland said over 2,600 people received treatment at the weekend. Bluebottle stings are painful but typically not life-threatening.Unusually strong…

Bluebottle jellyfish colonies appear like blue-tinged sacs which measure up to 15cm (6 inches) long. People can be stung in the water or on sand.

The stings are typically mild and can be treated with ice or hot water, however some people had required treatment by paramedics at the weekend, Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) said. The number of those cases was not recorded.

The jellyfish activity forced the closure of busy beaches.

Is this uncommon?

Bluebottle jellyfish, also known as Portuguese man o’war, are often seen on Australia’s east coast during summer.

But a SLSQ spokesman described the latest influx as an “epidemic”, while some local media outlets labelled it an “invasion”.